Comfort
by InoFan07
Summary: Ino and Sasuke protect each other in ways no one else can.


Hello, this is a SasukeXIno short story I have written. Please do not comment to bash on the pairing. Sorry if this is too angsty, I wrote it when I was in a bad mood. I am also foggy on the latest chapters, so I apologize if I've made a mistake. Compliments and constructive critisism is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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"There was an aciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart."- Edgar Allen Poe

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"I can't believe this." Sasuke mummbled. The wind caused his hair to fly and his eyes started to sting. "I don't freaking believe this."

Ino clutched onto her robe tightly next to him, her mouth dropped open in shock. The temprature seemed to drop, an electric jolt running down her spine. How could this be possible?

"How is this possible?" Sasuke demanded. "How do I know you're not...that you're not..." He didn't finish his sentance. He squeezed his eyes shut, clutching his sword.

In front of them, Obitio shrugged. "Believe whatever you want. Just know that this is the truth. Itachi was never the murderous, cold hearted, S rank criminal he made you think he was. He was a kind, compassionate older broth-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Sasuke gritted his teeth, his body aching.

Obitio gave him one last steely look, and turned around. He was gone with the wind, without a single word of apology or comfort.

He dropped to the ground and let out his rage. He pounded the ground and yelled obout this terrible world, full of dispair and heartbreak.

Then he started crying. Tears spiraled down his face and scarred the ground. Every drop was like a punch to Ino's heart.

She knelt down next to him. _What do I say? What do I do?_

She couldn't do anything for him. Her breath was caught in her lungs. He braved the cruelties of the path he was forced to follow by himself, without a shoulder to cry on.

Of course there was nothing she could have done to save his brother from mudering his clan. But she wished there was some way she could bring Itachi back.

She was completely helpless in this situation. Even highly skilled medical ninja can't bring back someone who is dead.

She hugged him. She wrapped her arms around him and felt his body shaking as he fell into her embrace. She knew she would never be able to understand his saddness. She could only imagine his pain. Competing with Itachi for his father's attention when they were younger. Watching in horror as his brother took the darkest of paths and killed their parents right in front of his eyes. Growing up by himself, although being admired by many, being genuinely liked by no one.

Leaving the village and being considered a criminal, losing his comrades and supporters one by one, and then finding out that the man he had spent seven years trying to kill by making that the sole purpose of his existance, was all in vain. Because that same man was the one who, deep down, cared for him and protected him. Loved him.

A bittersweet scent hung in the air as rain began to splatter their backs. Even the heavens were crying for him.

There was only one thing she could provide him. It wasn't her healing his major wounds. It wasn't her doing a Yamanaka family jutsu to try to enter his brain and soothe his pain or clear his memories and emotions. The only thing she could do was hold him, and let him grieve. And to show him that he wasn't alone.

The only thing she could do, perhaps the thing he needed the most right now, was comfort.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear.

She stared into his striking red eyes with her own pale, blue, stormy ones, and nodded.

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There was an explosion in the distance. Smoke was rising around them. The Konoha 12 were hard at work, defendind their village from Madara's attack. WHen the area was realatively clear of bad guys, Ino knelt down to heal a bruise on Shikamaru's arm.

"You always strain yourself too hard." She chided, but her heart wasn't really into it. They were in the middle of the most dangerous war she had ever experienced in her lifetime. People were dying across the battlefield. Things weren't looking so good.

Death was everywhere.

Her own father was fighting out there, risking his life to dig up whatever information he could.

Choji tried to comfort her, sensing her disapointment. "We're all doing our best to protect our village. We're shinobis. We can do this Let's try to stay positive."

She managed a halfhearted smile. "Yeah."

"Could you take a look at my eyes next?" Sasuke spoke next. "They've been bugging me.

She reached over and placed a hand gently on his eyes. Chakra slowly poured out, enloping his eyes and slowly easing away their pain.

"Better?" She asked. He nodded.

Suddenly, her head started pounding. It had been aching all day, but this was getting unbearable. She closed her eyes, hung on to her head, and screamed.

She could hear her teammates calling her name, over and over again.

When she opened her eyes, she felt chakra spooling out of her eyes, forming a cloud.

Naruto backed away a couple steps and gulped. "Um..Ino?"

Her throat tightened. "It's a clan jutsu, used to send messages."

The image started playing out. It was her dad.

Panic rushed through her body as she watched him smile sadly at her. "Ino...you've grown into such an amazing young kunoichi."

She stared back in horror.

"You're always protecting your friends, and proving your worth. You will certainly make our clan proud, and be a fine leader when I'm gone."

'No." She whispered, unable to process what was going on. "_When I'm gone"_

"I have to give up my life for the sake of this village, it's the only way. But just remember, I love you. I'll always be with you, watching over you." He smiled warmly at her and the image began to flicker.

"Dad! No! No, please, come back!" She screamed. She couldn't believe this was happening.

The others stared at her sympathetically. She could feel their gazes boring into her skull. Shikamaru put a hand on her shoulder.

She turned around and started running. _Maybe I can save him. there's still a chance-"_

Neji and lee calmly stepped in front of her.

"It's unfortunate, but it's for the best." Neji told her, his voice strained.

"Get the hell out of my way." She snarled. How dare they? How could they not see how important this was? Sure, she was acting selfish. Why was she trying to top her father from laying his life on the line and dying a noble, shinobi death. he was protecting the village.

Rock Lee shook his head, his eyes getting misty.

"Move!" She shouted, desperately.

Shikamaru clutched his shoulder and winced. "Ino, don't be an idiot. It's not safe."

Kiba and Choji held her back as she yelled and felt her heart growing heavy. The world felt like it was spinning.

Finally, she broke away form them and faced the ground apprehensively. Tears rolled down her face as she cried. This bloody war was taking away her family. Her father was really going to die. She felt alone. She felt miserable.

Sasuke stared into her eyes, his eyes unreadable. She had never felt so vulnerable.

Her lips trembled, He was probably thinking of how weak she was acting. She was pathetic. She was a shinobi. She was supposed to shield herslef from emotions. Instead, she let them guide her. It was her weakest point. She never was able to execute detached, cold, kills. She always gave mercy. She was a sorry excus-

Sasuke hugged her. He held her, just like the way she held him. She sobbed into his clothes, feeling helpless. He stroked her hair and gently held on to her. He had experienced death. He knew what she was going through. He knew what it felt like to have to leave your childhood behind and grow up too fats. She smelled his Sasuke-ish smell and wailed into his chest. It hurt. It hurt a lot.

Above them the sky turned stormy, and around them the chaos continued. Her teammates watched her struggle.

But she knew there wasn't anything they could do. They could only hope she felt better, and move on to the next fight. She had to recover from this by herself. She had to be strong, for her father.

Nobody rushed her, or yelled at her for not keeping her emotions in check during a war. She was a shinobi, but she was also human.

Obstacles like these were what helped her gain more confidence, helped her learn about the harsh realities, and helped her grow as a person.

She sighed as Sasuke held her, remembering another reason she liked him. His presence warmed her heart.

He comforted her like no one else could.

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Thanks for reading. I feel like I understand Sasuke's character better, so staying in Ino's POV, especially the second part, was more challenging for me. Anyway, please review.


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